SPOKANE, Wash. -- Gonzaga baseball exploded on offense behind three doubles and six RBI from
Stephen Lund on the way to a 15-3 win at Washington State on Tuesday evening in Pullman, Wash.
Lund went 4-for-6 in the game with two of his doubles and three RBI in a nine-run third inning that broke the game open for the Zags (6-10). GU had 15 hits against WSU (9-7) pitching, while also pitching around 12 Cougar hits.
"We did a good job of taking advantage of our opportunities today, especially
Stephen Lund. He had a big day offensively," head coach
Mark Machtolf said. "On the mound, our staff did a good job of limiting free bases and limiting any damage. We are looking forward to starting league play on Friday."
On the mound, starter
Keaton Knueppel and reliever
Reagan Haas covered the first 6.0 innings and
William Kempner and
Jacob Rutherford finished it out. Haas got the win with 3.0 innings of one-run ball, allowing just four hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Rutherford threw 2.0 shutout innings and Kempner finished the game out with the final inning.
Ernie Yake,
Ryan Sullivan and
Anthony Garrett each had multi-hit games as well. Yake went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and an RBI, falling just a home run short of hitting for the cycle. Sullivan scored twice and drove in two, and Garrett scored twice and drove in one.
Isaac Barrera reached base four times with three walks and a hit, scoring twice.
After scoring a run in the first inning, GU's nine-run third was started and ended by doubles from Lund.
Jack Machtolf knocked in a pair with a single in the inning and
Josh Bristyan,
Brett Harris, Garrett and Sullivan each picked up an RBI.
GU scored three more in the fifth inning with two coming on a double by Lund, and then two more in the sixth on a single by Lund and triple by Yake.
Gonzaga pitching stranded 12 WSU runners on base, allowing only single runs in the first, third and fifth.
GU will open West Coast Conference play on Friday with a three-game series against Santa Clara in Spokane, Wash. Check GoZags.com for links to live coverage.